MC elections: Uncertainty over ward delimitation notification

Amid the ongoing deliberations on the schedule of the Municipal Corporation elections during the first fortnight of November, there remains uncertainty surrounding the official notification for the delimitation of the city’s 95 wards.

Although a copy of the ‘notification’ dated October 4 for the final ward delimitation in Ludhiana has been circulated on social media, the Municipal Corporation officials have not confirmed its authenticity. An official of the MC said the Commissioner’s office had not received the official copy of the final notification to date.

As per the previous draft ward delimitation, 56 out of the total 95 wards had been designated as reserved wards with allocations for various categories such as women, members of the Scheduled Castes, and the BC category. With the exception of Ward 5, which is allocated for the BC category, the remaining odd-numbered wards were designated for either women or women from the SC category.

On the other hand, some leaders of Opposition parties criticised and blamed the AAP government for delaying the process to release the final notification and failing to ensure transparency. A significant number of objections had been previously raised against the initial draft of ward boundaries. These Opposition parties are currently awaiting information on the action taken in response to their objections.

Chaudhary Yashpal, former councillor from the BJP, said they had already taken the matter to the Punjab & Haryana High Court. “This move was prompted by the inadequate allocation of SC-reserved (Scheduled Caste) wards in the draft delimitation plan for the city, which consists of 95 wards. If the state government proceeds with the Municipal Corporation elections without ensuring an appropriate allocation of SC category wards within the city, we are prepared to file an appeal before the court to request a stay on the elections”, he said.

Slamming the AAP government, SAD’s Ludhiana district president Bhupinder Singh Bhinda said the ward delimitation process was still not clear. “The people still don’t know the final boundaries of the ward. The final notification should be released and made public for the people”, he said.

MC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi said they had not received any letter regarding the final notification for ward delimitation.